Samata Party to move Delhi HC against Thackeray faction’s ‘flaming torch’

Mumbai: After its complaint with the election commission against the allotment of ‘flaming torch’ symbol to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday, the Samata Party has decided to file a petition before the Delhi high court on Saturday

Mumbai:

Thane, India - October 14, 2022: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Anita Birje along with women workers of the party leave for Matoshree carrying the flaming torch in a bus, the new party symbol, in Thane, Mumbai, India, on Friday, October 14, 2022. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

After its complaint with the election commission against the allotment of ‘flaming torch’ symbol to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday, the Samata Party has decided to file a petition before the Delhi high court on Saturday. Samata Party president Uday Mandal said the party wants a stay on the use of their party election symbol by Shiv Sena.

The party was derecognised back in 2004 and had thus lost the election symbol then.

“We don’t want the ‘flaming torch’ to be used by Shiv Sena in the upcoming Andheri East bypolls in Mumbai. As there is a dispute over the registered election symbol of Shiv Sena — ‘bow and arrow’ — the party may stake claim on it for other elections too until the election commission gives its verdict,” Mandal said.

Mandal said that the election symbol was allotted to the party even for the general elections held in 2014. He shared a reply from the election commission under right to information (RTI), in which it is stated that the ‘flaming torch’ was allotted to them for Lok Sabha polls held in 2014.

“Hurdles are being put up at every stage against Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party in this bypoll. We have crossed almost all of them and will get this cleared as well. The public decision in the name of election results would be final in the bypoll,” said Manisha Kayande, spokesperson for the party.

“I don’t know about the affiliation of Samata Party -- whether they are close to BJP -- and why they have become so active all at once. We are compelled to think there is something fishy. But at the same time, there is also a possibility that they want to come into limelight by staking claim on the election symbol,” added Kayande.